


Speed Dating

by Ravenpuff91



Category: Strange Magic (2015)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-31
Updated: 2016-10-31
Packaged: 2018-08-28 05:40:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8433883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ravenpuff91/pseuds/Ravenpuff91
Summary: A Strange Magic Human AU. Marianne has been participating in a speed dating activity...and it's unfortunately worked. What is she to do?





	

“I can’t believe you…”

Marianne froze at the sound of the familiar voice. A second later, the back of her hand hit the table with a loud thunk. She shot a glare across the table at the tall man looking rather unrepentant, then turned her attention to the blonde that stood at her shoulder.

She tried for an innocent smile, and failed miserably, “Dawn, hey.”

Her sister huffed, crossing her arms and tapping her foot in irritation, “Marianne, when I signed you up to come to this speed dating activity, it wasn’t so you could arm wrestle every guy in here!”

“First of all, I never asked you to sign me up for this stupid thing,” Marianne retorted, “And second, I haven’t arm wrestled EVERY guy...Actually, Bog here is the first to agree to my arm wrestling demands.”

Her table-partner tipped his glass of water in her direction, a sardonic smile twisting his thin lips. Dawn spluttered indignantly, “Marianne! This is supposed to be helping you get back into the dating pool! I bet you haven’t even really talked to any of the guys here!”

Marianne crossed her arms in front of herself defensively, unable to help the frown that tugged at her dark lips, “I have! I always do one circuit before I settle down here!”

Her little sister likewise crossed her arms, “How long has this been going on?”

The question was directed at Bog, who was watching the whole thing with an amused grin. He shrugged noncommittally, “A couple weeks, I suppose.”

Dawn’s eyes widened, her tiny hands tightening into fists, “You’ve been coming here to arm wrestle for a couple weeks?! Gosh darn it, Marianne! I thought we were actually getting somewhere! I even thought you’d met someone!”

“It’s not always arm wrestling,” she mumbled petulantly, “I don’t want to MEET anyone! Besides these guys are all boring...aside from you, Bog.”

Bog, for his part, seemed unaffected, but Marianne noted that the tips of his ears had gone red, his tell-tale sign that she had flustered him. Somehow that made her smile. She’d met Bog her first week at this infernal activity. Dawn had signed her up, in an effort to get her to start dating again after the whole Roland fiasco. Bog had been just as curmudgeonly as her, which had caught her attention. 

And, like she’d told Dawn, he’d been the only one who’d agreed to her arm wrestling challenge. She’d used the challenge to weed out guys who she definitely wouldn’t be interested in. Most of the guys had looked at her as if she was crazy, and the rest had given that stupid polite laugh, as if she had been joking. Only Bog had accepted, and not only that, he’d not held back in the least. That had pleased her immensely and they’d struck up an instant friendship/rivalry. She honestly couldn’t remember a time she’d had as much fun as she did with Bog.

He cleared his throat, snapping Marianne from her thoughts, “That’s right, wee one. We played checkers last week. So you needn’t worry. ‘Sides, Marianne is right. All the men here are gimps.”

Marianne snorted out a laugh, amber eyes lighting up with her amusement, “Gimps?”

Bog nodded, leaning back in his chair, his long legs stretching out and nearly touching hers, “Fools, idiots, gimps...all the same thing.”

“You played checkers? Seriously?”

She rolled her eyes at Dawn’s incredulous tone, “And it was UNO before that. But I demanded an arm wrestling rematch since he beat me last time. And because of you, I lost again.”

“It’s alright, Tough Girl. I’ll take you on again,” Bog smirked, and Marianne felt a traitorous flutter in the pit of her stomach, “After all, wouldn’t want ye to claim I cheated.”

“You’re on, cockroach,” she taunted, feeling her own smile widen as his did. His smile was not polished, his teeth crooked and sharp, but it was genuine. And it made those stupidly gorgeous blue eyes of his light up. Bog was not what one would call classically handsome, but he had that bad boy vibe that Marianne had always found attractive. From the leather jacket to the scruffy appearance, he exuded trouble. 

That he was secretly a dork, and an adorable, timid one at that, just made him that much more attractive. 

She’d quite forgotten all about her nosy little sister for a few seconds. A contemplative hum reminded her of Dawn’s presence and she couldn’t help the flush that spread over her cheeks. She speared Dawn with a glare, which the blonde ignored.

“So,” Dawn stretched out the ‘o’ sound, pulling a chair out and daintily sitting in it, “Bog, was it? What are your intentions, Boggy?”

Bog was suddenly stiff as a board, brows pulled down, “Bog. Intentions? What are ye on about?”

Dawn’s pink lips twisted into a sickenly sweet smile, “Your intentions regarding Marianne, of course.”

Marianne’s face erupted with color, and Bog’s wasn’t far behind. She fluttered her hands, amber eyes looking anywhere but at Bog, “Whoah, there sis...It’s not like that! Bog and I are kindred spirits! No more love for us! We learned our lesson.”

Her sister looked quite put out, and inexplicably, so did Bog for just a second, before the expression morphed into a sneer, “Right. No hidden agendas here. We’re just friends…”

Marianne’s heart seemed to twist just a bit at that, and she tried to push the feeling away, “Just friends. Nothing more.”

Her sister’s blue eyes once again turned to regard her, critically analyzing her. Marianne tried her best to keep her expression neutral. She couldn’t have Dawn finding out the truth...That she fancied Bog...very much so. 

Stupid, stupid Marianne. She’d promised herself she’d never fall in love again, swore that she was done with the entire thing after Roland had cheated on her. Love had nearly broken her beyond repair and she’d promised herself she’d never suffer that pain again. 

And then she’d met Bog and little by little, so slowly that she didn’t know how on earth it had happened, she’d fallen for him and fallen hard. It had been weeks before she’d been able to admit it to herself. She had no intention of admitting it to him in the near future, if ever. She was completely fine with how they were now...well, maybe not completely, but she was content.

“Uh-huh,” Dawn replied, unconvinced, “Right. Just friends. You know, me and Sunny were just friends too.”

Marianne knew her face was an ugly blotchy red, and she couldn’t bring herself to meet Bog’s eyes, “Dawn, there really is nothing going on. It could never happen.”

A soft whimper of pain, so soft that Marianne almost missed it, escaped the tall man across from her. She turned toward him, shocked to find his cornflower blue eyes misty. He looked absolutely devastated, and something in Marianne seemed to break. He blinked rapidly and his expression morphed into anger, a sneer twisting his lips. 

“Like yer sister said,” he growled, standing abruptly, “It could never happen...Not with someone as hideous as me.”

Without another word, he stalked off, shoulders hunched. Marianne sat there, stunned, for about five seconds before she was getting up and hurrying after him, ignoring her sister’s call for her to come back.

Marianne wasn’t exactly sure what she planned to do once she caught up to him, but she just couldn’t bear to know that she’d hurt him, and made him think something that couldn’t be farther from the truth. 

Somehow she would make it right. She didn’t want to lose him, and if the only way to keep him with her was to confess her feelings then she would do it. 

She burst through the doors of the cafe, looking around. Luckily for her, Bog was built like a beanpole so it was quite easy to pick him out. Not so easy catching him. His stride was twice as long as hers. Gritting her teeth, she flat-out ran, calling his name. 

Much to her surprise, he stopped and turned to face her, face stony. Unfortunately, she’d been flat-out running and there was no way she would be able to stop in time. She crashed into him, sending them both toppling to the ground. Bog’s arms had instinctively wrapped around her, cushioning her fall.

He groaned in pain, then looked up at her face, concern evident, “Are ye alright?”

Marianne flushed crimson, both from embarrassment and from pure pleasure at the feel of his arms around her, “I’m good! Are you?”

“Fine,” he winced, his arms dropping away from her as he struggled to sit up, “Are ye daft, woman? Why the hell were ye going so fast? We coulda gotten hurt.”

She huffed, reluctantly slipping off his lap and crossing her arms, “Well, sorry! I didn’t know you were going to stop when I called!”

His eyebrows rose, and he looked baffled, “Why wouldn’t I? It’s the polite thing ta do.”

She threw up her hands, “I don’t know! I mean, in movies and stuff, whenever the protagonists have a misunderstanding they usually chase after the other person and the other person usually doesn’t stop! They have to physically grab them! Shut up!”

This last command was issued at a now laughing Bog. She glared icily at him, and it took her longer than she liked for him to quiet down. He shook his head, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, “I’m sorry, tough girl. But I think ye’ve been watching too many chick flicks.”

“Last weekend, Dawn made me watch Two Weeks Notice, Kate & Leopold, and the Lake House...so yeah, I see how my reasoning might have been flawed,” she grumbled, feeling like an idiot. People on the sidewalks were starting to stare and she reached for his hand, standing up, “I wanted to talk to you...alone.”

His adam’s apple bobbed and he looked rather ill, “I’d rather not, Marianne.”

She glared at him until he sighed and nodded, standing and following her. She led them to a nearby alley, heart hammering in her chest. The alley was rather narrow, but thankfully deserted. She pulled him in after her, acutely aware of how close she stood to him, and how very, very tall he was as she tipped her head back to look at him.

She took a deep breath, fiddling with her fingers nervously, “Listen, Bog...What I said, back at the cafe…”

He winced, putting his hands up, “Stop right there, Tough Girl. Please. You dorn’t have to say anything. I understand perfectly.”

She huffed in frustration, planting her hands on her hips, “No, you don’t! I need to explain!”

His eyes narrowed into a glare, “Explain what? That ye like me but not in ‘that way’? That I’m a great guy but you’re just not attracted to me? I’ve heard them all before, Tough Girl! Every excuse in the book! I know I’m too hideous to love…”

Bog’s voice had dropped at the last declaration, soft and full of hurt. Marianne’s anger was quickly doused, and she reached out, placing her hand on his arm. She knew what it felt like to feel worthless...Roland had made her feel that way when she’d caught him. That was no longer the case. She was happy with who she was....and part of that was thanks to Bog.

“You’re not hideous,” her voice came out just as soft as his, but it was full of conviction. His eyes, his gorgeous blue eyes, rose to meet hers. He looked so uncertain, as if he wanted to believe her, but couldn’t.

If he wouldn’t believe her words, then she would just have to show him. She had never been very good with talking about her feelings anyway, actions had always been more her style.

She didn’t waste another second, grabbing hold of his jacket collar and pulling him down roughly, while she rose on her tiptoes. She crashed her lips into his, her heart thundering in her chest. 

She found herself pulling back when it was clear Bog wasn’t responding. She bit her lip, looking up at him, afraid of what she’d see. Perhaps she’d been wrong...maybe he didn’t feel the same way after all…

He was still hunched over, electric blue eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights. 

“Ye...Ye just k-kissed me,” he managed to stutter out, and she was slightly concerned when he collapsed right in front of her, hand over his mouth and face resembling a ripe tomato. 

She shuffled on her feet, embarrassment making her sarcastic, “I’m glad you noticed. I’d be pretty worried about my kissing techniques if you hadn’t.

He blinked a few times, looking up at her timidly, “...Why?”

She looked away from his earnest gaze, cheeks rosy, knowing that the time had come, “...Because...Because I like you, alright? There, I’ve said it. I’m in love with you, you stupid Scottish tree! I broke our agreement of never falling in love again! I’m one of those stupid fools we’re always complaining about! And I don’t care because I’m happy!...You make me happy...”

Bog suddenly stood, towering over her, gaze intense. She took a small step backward, her back coming into contact with the hard, slimy wall. 

“I was done for the moment ye asked me to arm wrestle,” his voice was a low rumble that effectively turned her legs into jelly, “You have no idea how many times I wanted ta tell you that I...that I-I love you...I didn’t think...couldn’t have imagined…”

Marianne could scarcely breathe, unstoppable joy and heat traveling through her body. All her senses went into hyperdrive as Bog moved the tiniest bit forward, their bodies touching. Electric tingles shot through her, his heat and scent engulfing her. 

“Marianne,” her name fell from his lips and it took all her strength to not melt into a puddle of goo at how his accent intimately caressed the syllables of her name, “...Can I kiss you?”

She gave him an incredulous look, eyebrows darting up, before her lips turned up into a grin, “You dork. Do you really think you need to ask?”

He chuckled and then all Marianne’s thoughts scattered as he bent down, capturing her lips in a searing kiss. Soon enough, both were caught up in heated kisses and gentle caresses. Neither one noticed the three pairs of eyes watching from the entrance to the alleyway. 

Dawn grinned in triumph, blue eyes shining, “I told you they were perfect for each other!”

Griselda sighed in gleeful contentment, her beady eyes glimmering with tears, “Oh, my boy! My sweet boy! I’m so happy! We’ll need to start planning the wedding!”

Sunny winced, scratching his head, “That’s great, guys...but we might want to leave. I do NOT want Marianne to catch us. If she knew we planned all this...that we’re spying on them...I still have stuff I want to do with my life. I’d rather not be murdered at the age of 22, thank you very much.”

Dawn waved her hand, “Oh Sunny, don’t be such a worrywart!”

“Is there something we can help you with?”

All three started guiltily, turning to see Bog and Marianne standing there. Griselda couldn’t help the happy squeal that escaped as she noticed the two held hands. Dawn instantly pasted an innocent smile on her face, “Marianne, Boggy-Woggy! There you two are! We were so worried about you!”

Marianne did not look impressed, and Bog was glaring at his mother suspiciously. Marianne would have crossed her arms, but did not want to relinquish her hold on Bog’s hand. So she settled for giving her sister a stern glare, “Uh-huh. Well, as you can see we’re quite all right, so you guys can just move along.”

Dawn’s smile turned sly, “Looks like you’re more than alright.”

Both Bog and Marianne flushed, but didn’t correct her. Dawn giggled, surging forward to give Marianne a kiss on the cheek, “I’m happy for you, sis.”

With a final happy smile, the blonde young woman grasped the quaking Sunny by the arm and the two took off. Griselda stepped forward and patted Marianne’s cheek, making her blush, “My boy couldn’t have chosen better! I’m so happy he’s found you. Thank you, sweetheart...thank you.”

Marianne was startled to see tears in the older woman’s eyes. Bog’s mother waddled to her son, pulling him down to plant a loud kiss on his cheek before walking away, back toward the cafe. The two stood there for about a minute in silence, before Bog cleared his throat, cracking his neck, causing heat to travel the length of Marianne’s body, “Well, uh, did ye want to go back to the cafe?”

Marianne felt a smile creep up on her face, letting her expression morph in a seductive grin, “Perhaps we could continue what we were doing somewhere more...private.”

Bog’s answering smile was sharp and full of promise, and Marianne felt her body flare with warmth in response. She quickly rose up on her toes and stole a kiss, grinning when Bog whimpered in protest as she moved away.

With a laugh, Marianne took off down the street, Bog right behind her, their hands still entwined.


End file.
